Vibration device

ABSTRACT

A cleaning device for fountain pens having tubular nibs has a vibrator mounted in a housing on which a coupling device for coupling to the pen to be cleaned is fixedly fastened. The direction of oscillation of the vibrator is aligned with the bore of the tubular nib of a coupled pen.

United States Patent [151 3,660,860 Dziuk May 9, 1972 {54] VIBRATION DEVICE [56] References Cited [72] Inventor: Peter Dziuk, Nurnberg, Germany UNITED STATES PATENTS AssigneeI Staedtler, Numberg, Germany 3,254,284 5/1966 Tomes ..259/DIG. 44 [22] Filed: AP 1, 1970 3,182,344 5/1965 Harvey ..l5/94 [21] App]. No.: 24,637 Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin Attorney-Kelman and Herman [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 57] ABSTRACT 1969 Germany 19 43 I993 I A cleaning device for fountain pens having tubular nibs has a vibrator mounted in a housing on which a coupling device for [52] U.S. Cl. .v "15/94, 259/DIG. 44 coupling to the pen to be cleaned is fixedly fastened The [51] "Bosh 7/02 1306b H00 direction of oscillation of the vibrator is aligned with the bore [58] Field ofSearch ..l5/94, 89; l34/l;3I0/25;

346/111; 68/355; 259/DlG. 44

- of the tubular nib ofa coupled pen.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures VIBRATION DEVICE Ink in fountain pens tubular nibs is subject to drying, and such a pen cannot be used when the ink is dried. This is especially true for India ink even if the pen has a falling weight connected to a needle guided within said tubular nib.

In order to make such pens ready for use after the ink has once dried, it is usual to shake the pen in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the falling weight. By this shaking the thickened or dried ink is loosened and a pumping action is achieved by which the ink flow is restored. In practice the shaking is frequently objectionable: It is time consuming and the-force of shaking may either be too weak for loosening the dried or thickened ink or may be too strong so as to spill ink on the surroundings.

It has been proposed to use ultrasonic vibrations for making India ink pens ready for use. The pens are dipped into a cleaning solution which cleaning solution is excited by ultrasonic oscillations. After a certain time of treatment, when the thickened or dried ink has been loosened, the cleaning solvent can be wiped from the writing tip. The ultrasonic wave generators for exciting the cleaning solvent are very expensive. Further, the use of this treatment is time consuming and not practical due to the necessity of wiping the writing tip.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a vibration device for improving the ink flow, particularly the flow of India ink in pens of the type defined above.

With this object in view this invention provides a vibration device comprising a mechanical vibrator and a coupling device for releasably coupling at least one pen to said mechanical vibrator. The mechanical vibrator may have an operational frequency of below 16 kc, particularly an operational frequency in the range between 10 and 1,000 cps. Especially useful are mechanical vibrators operating at mains power supply frequency.

Other features, additional objects, and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a section through a first embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 shows a section through a second embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail of the writing tip.

In FIG. 3 the writing tip as a whole is designated by 10. This writing tip comprises a plastic body 12 with a flange 14 of polygonal section. In a bore 15 of said plastic body 12 there is housed a falling weight 16 which is connected to a needle 18; said needle 18 is slidably guided in a bore 20 of a tubular nib 22. The nib 22 is fixed to the plastic body 12. The ink flows in the direction of arrow 24 through bores 15 and 20. The device of this invention is intended for improving the flow of ink through these bores when ink has thickened in bore 15 and/or bore 20.

In FIG. I there is shown a housing 26 defining a chamber 28. In the chamber 28 there is housed an electromechanical vibrator 30. This vibrator 30 comprises an armature 32 which is placed in the magnetic field of two electromagnetic coils 34 series connected to an alternating current power supply 36. The armature is suspended on coil springs 38. When alternating current flows through the coils 34 and a closed control switch 40 the armature 32 oscillates in the direction of arrow 42. This vibrational movement is transmitted by the springs 38 to the housing 26.

The housing 26 carries a coupling device 44. The coupling device 44 comprises a sleeve 46 of elastic or plastic material, for example rubber or polyamide. The sleeve is conically shaped so as to accommodate a conical section 48 of a pen 50 whose writing tip 10 (FIG. 3) is received in its entirety in a chamber 52 of said coupling device 44, which holds a cleaning solvent.

The oscillations transmitted from the electromechanical vibrator 30 to the housing 26 are transmitted to the pfn 50 by the coupling device 44. As can be seen from Fl l, the

direction of vibrator oscillation indicated by arrow 42 is in alignment with the direction of movement of the falling weight 16 and the needle 18 in the bores 15, 20. Thus, the falling weight 16 and the needle 18 are excited for oscillatory movement. The amplitude of this oscillatory movement depends on the power input to the electromechanical vibrator 30 and the coupling characteristics. This power input and these coupling characteristics can be adjusted so that the oscillatory movement of the 'pen is between 0.1 and I0 mm, preferably between I and 4 mm.

In FIG. 2 similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1, said numerals being increased by 100. In chamber 128 an electric actuating motor is housed whose output shaft carries two eccentric masses 162. These rotating eccentric masses cause oscillation of the housing 126 and of the coupling device 144 in the direction of arrow 142.

The coupling device 144 encloses a pad 164 of soft, elastic material which conforms to the tip 10 of the pen 50 embedded therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for improving ink flow in a pen having a tubular nib, and a needle carrying a weight and movable in the bore of said nib, the device comprising:

a. coupling means defining a chamber adapted to hold a body of liquid and to receive said nib in its entirety in a predetermined position;

b. vibrating means for vibrating said coupling means in the direction of the bore in a nib received in said chamber in said position;

c. a housing,

1. said vibrating means including a vibrator mounted in said housing for transmitting the vibrations thereof to said housing,

2. said coupling means being fixedly mounted on said housing and including sleeve means for holding said nib in said position.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means include a coupling sleeve shaped for conforming engagement with said pen.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which said coupling sleeve comprises a thread for accommodating a corresponding thread on a part of the pen writer.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vibrator includes a mass and electrically operated actuating means for oscillating said mass in said direction.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim I, further comprising a body of liquid in said chamber.

UNITED STAT3S PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 9F CORRECTIQN Patent NO. 3.660.860 Dated M 9, 1972 lnventol-(s') Peter Dziuk It is certified that error eppfar-s in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the title page after lifie (30) insert March 29, 1969 Germany P 19 16 386.5

Signed and sealed this 26th day of September 1972.

( EAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER.,JR I I ROBERT Go tr TscHA Attestlng Officer v Commissioner of Patents 

1. A device for improving ink flow in a pen having a tubular nib, and a needle carrying a weight and movable in the bore of said nib, the device comprising: a. coupling means defining a chamber adapted to hold a body of liquid and to receive said nib in its entirety in a predetermined position; b. vibrating means for vibrating said coupling means in the direction of the bore in a nib received in said chamber in said position; c. a housing,
 1. said vibrating means including a vibrator mounted in said housing for transmitting the vibrations thereof to said housing,
 2. said coupling means being fixedly mounted on said housing and including sleeve means for holding said nib in said position.
 2. said coupling means being fixedly mounted on said housing and including sleeve means for holding said nib in said position.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means include a coupling sleeve shaped for conforming engagement with said pen.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which said coupling sleeve comprises a thread for accommodating a corresponding thread on a part of the pen writer.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vibrator includes a mass and electrically operated actuating means for oscillating said mass in said direction.
 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a body of liquid in said chamber. 